Paisley Left Speechless

• Paisley Left Speechless


• A few years ago the voice of Rev Ian Paisley roared against whatever he considered to be contrary to Free Presbyterian separatist principles and values; today things are very much different.


• Some time ago, Rev Ian Paisley objected very strongly when the UUP’s Harry West attended a Nationalist’s funeral; he actually demanded that Mr West be thrown out of the Orange Order for attending the mass. Here was Mr Paisley calling for the Orange Order to discipline Mr West, even though Mr Paisley was not himself a member. Presently, when his party leader, Mr Robinson goes to mass, he quietly acquiesces; when his church welcomes Mr McGuinness and disciplines TUV supporters, his voice is inaudible.


• In the past, Ian Paisley gave his unequivocal support to the establishment and maintenance of independent Christian schools; now when, Free Presbyterian DUP MLA, Mervyn Storey advocates integrated education in a pluralist society, there is not a sound of censor from the once vigilant defender of the faith.


• Silence is often taken for consent; should this be the case, then God will raise up another voice, another testimony. (Esther4:14) ‘For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise ….. from another place;’ Rev Mervyn Cotton (Heb13:6)

A Divided Church

• A Divided Church ‘If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.’ (Mrk3:25) Once the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster was identified by the doctrine of separation; the pulpits and pews were occupied exclusively by those sympathetic to this cause. All this was to change dramatically after Rev Ian Paisley decided to share power with unrepentant terrorists in government.


• Suddenly another voice was raised amongst the Free Presbyterian ranks, that of traditional unionism; now the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster has to accommodate two separate political movements. On the one hand the followers of the forward looking, mass going, pluralist and integrationist DUP are demanding votes; while on the other, the persecuted, rejected, dissenting and faithful voices of the TUV ask for electoral support.


• This once separatist church has capitulated to sharing in the past; where its ministers and office bearers support DUP partnership with IRA Sinn Fein and is perfectly complicit with mass going by association. Now, the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster has discovered the voice of opposition from within its own political ranks as TUV members have taken up the torch.


• ‘If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand’; these are words of wisdom and warning from the Son of God. When Free Presbyterianism relocated to the political site, this has proved to be the place where compromise and sharing took root; now the irony is that this church has to accommodate two separate political opinions within its walls.


• The church that distinguished itself by separation is now distinguished by division; in the past, Free Presbyterians were united in their opposition to ecumenical compromise and political union with Rome. Things are very different now; the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster is distinguished by division from within; where the TUV are rightly opposing the treachery and duplicity of the DUP IRA Sinn Fein partnership. This is the price to be paid by rejecting separation and embracing sharing.

Rev Mervyn Cotton (Heb13:6)

How long halt ye between two opinions

‘How long halt ye between two opinions’ At home here in Ulster, we are preparing to make choice with regard to the forth coming elections on May 5th. Every choice we make in life has its consequences; some, we get right, others are to be regretted. As an evangelical Protestant, I am persuaded that the choice of sharing power with unrepentant terrorists, a few years back, was a poor one; however, that is what democracy demanded and that is what we have to deal with. Democracy here in the past was always associated with Biblical standards and precepts; whether Roman Catholic or Protestant, Nationalist or Unionist, there was identification with Christianity. From St Andrews, the situation is very much different; Biblical principles and values have been exchanged for Secularist philosophy. The ‘shared future advocates’ are seeking to amalgamate Nationalist and Unionist, Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions into one Secularist entity. Amazingly, the DUP, supported by the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, have been actively engaged in this process; they are compromising the principles of the Reformed Faith at such speed and determination, that if unchecked, they will transform Ulster from a cradle of Biblical Protestantism into a caldron of Secularism. Presently they have turned from ‘Separation’ to ‘Sharing’; they have turned from Christ the only Mediator to the Celebration of the Mass; they have cast out those with Christian principle and welcomed the Secularist scoundrel. It is time for those within the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster to consider their position; how can a person oppose the capitulation and treachery of the DUP and remain in the Free Presbyterian Church. These two organisations are joined at the hip; the Free Presbyterian Church supports its ministers and office bearers while they hold position and membership in the DUP. When the DUP is represented at the Roman Catholic mass, then so is the Free Presbyterian Church; when the DUP sanctions public money to support homosexuality, then so does the Free Presbyterian Church. When the children of Israel were gathered unto Elijah on mount Carmel in the days of Ahab’s apostasy and compromise, they were confronted with the question; ‘how long halt ye between two opinions’ (1Kings18:21) Now in these days of apostasy and compromise within the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, it is time for God’s redeemed people to seriously consider their position and to respond to this great question, ‘how long halt ye between two opinions’. Attendance will always be viewed as participation; no one can sit in a Free Presbyterian congregation without being identified with the DUP. Rev Mervyn Cotton

Choose you this day

‘Choose you this day’ With the elections of May 5th coming ever closer, the concept of choice is uppermost on the mind of the electorate; while the choice for some will be based upon tradition or habit, for others, it will be a matter of conviction or conscience. From an evangelical Protestant prospective, I want to highlight a situation that is sweeping through Ulster like an odourless poisonous gas. For generations, the diverse political establishment here, has been associated with Christianity; irrespective, as to what end of the political spectrum may be considered, the one dominant factor was that, the moral and ethical outlook was predicated to the Word of God. Ever since the St Andrews Agreement, the subtle wind of change has been blowing through the electorate; little by little the focus has been turning away from once held Christian values and principles, towards Secularism. While this phenomenon is evident on a global scale, it becomes more apparent at home here because of our strong religious heritage; whether that is Protestant or Roman Catholic. Nowhere is that change more remarkable than in the Protestant and Unionist tradition; there appears to be a greater impetus in compromising or even rejecting Biblical Christian principles and values so as to guarantee political progress. The Reformed Faith position is being discredited and destroyed by some Unionist politicians, just for political expediency; they appear to have no difficulty in abandoning Christian principles in order to choose Secularist ones. Remarkably, the front runners in this situation are the DUP, backed by the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster; they have chosen the path of ‘Sharing’ as an alternative to that of ‘Separation’. Now it is time for the people to ‘chose’; in the days of Joshua, the people had to consciously choose whether they should be identified with the Lord God of heaven, or be identified with the Secularism of their day. ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve ….. but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.’ Rev Mervyn Cotton